Apparatus for producing decorative material



y 9, 1939- l. J. WISOFF 2,157,583

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING DECORATIVE MATERIAL Filed May 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIIIIHIII/IIIIIU lllllllflllll INVENTQR Isaac} wlsoff BY W E ATTORNEY y 1939. l. J. WISOFF 2,157,583

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING DECORATIVE MATERIAL Filed May 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Iscrcrc' J. llfisof'f Mm Eli (M ATTORNEY Patented May- -9, 1

PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING DECORATIVE MATERIAL Isaac .1. Wisofl, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application May 5, 1936, Serial No. 77,920 a reclaims.

This invention relates to improvements in decorative material and comprises an ornamental product or member of novel construction and appearance, as well as a method and apparatus 5' by which said membercan be turned out ex peditiously in large quantities at comparatively low cost.

An object of the invention is to provide a decorative member that can advantageously be fashioned out of fiat strips of varying width, and caused to assume several distinct forms by the expedient of changing the mode in which the working of the strips is practiced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a decorative member fashioned out of a flat piece or strip of a substance having a glistening surface and obtainable-in a number of colors, so that the finished article always appeals strongly to the eye, and, by the use of different colors will give virtually any desired visual effect.

Another object of the invention is to provide a decorative member comprising an element or section wrought of a flat strip of suitable material that is first gathered up or transversely fluted or corrugated, and then twisted edgewise or spirally to impart to it the shape in which it is intended to be used. In this way successive bunched portions are made up in the strip, and the required thickness of the product is secured.

It has been proposed to adapt for ornamental purposes strips of crape paper or the like by transversely plaiting or folding the strips and threading a cord or wire through the plaited portions to hold them in the desired relation, the strips being afterwards twisted into the form of a spiral with the successive turns thereof more or less close together. The threading of the wire or cord through the plaited portions is done by piercing the latter with a needle that draws the cord through the successive portions lengthwise of the strip. This method answers very well for a substance such as paper which is fibrous and to some extent tough and tenacious; but is unsuitable for the working of such a material as a, strip of transparent cellulose that is relatively brittle and, although of relatively high strength as long as it is not torn or pierced, can still be ripped very easily when a. break ora crack is once produced. The manufacture of strips of plaited and twisted Cellophane therefore can not be performed in this way.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus by which "Cellophane strips can be plaited or folded crosswise and the bends mag'ntained without penetrating the Cellophane strip, and thus all risk of ripping or tearing the product in the course of its formation is obviated.

It is also an object of this invention to provide means by which the bent or plaited "Cellophane 5 strip can be twisted into a spiral without creating a tendency for the strip to become untwisted.

This end is attained by means which engage the of the invention. But the disclosure is illustrative only, and the features of the product, process and apparatus embraced in the invention are to be regarded as new to the full extent indicated by the broad terms in which the appended claims are expressed. '85

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of apparatus according to this invention,

Figure 2 shows a strip at the starting of the operation, 80

Figure 3 shows in side view a section of the finished material,

Figure 4 is an end view of what appears in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view of a strip worked in a different manner,

Figure 5a is a view of an imitation flower that can be made out of the strip illustrated in Figure 5,

- Figure 6 shows detail illustrating how the action 40 of the presser rolls in the apparatus is regulated,

Figure 7 shows the driving connections for the twister member; and

Fi ures 8. 9 and 10 show modifications. 45

In particular description of the drawings I use the numeral l to indicate an elongated strip which is preferably Cellophane or similar material of the desired width and color; and 2 indicates a matching strip which, in the course of 50 the process of making the decorative material, is caused to adhere to the first strip. When the two strips I and 2 are being attached to each other a cord or wire 3 (which may be of any suitable cross-section) is laid between, and the 55 two strips and the cord or wire are moved in such a manner and under such conditions that the cord exerts a backward pull on the strips and causes" them to gather or shorten so as to form transverse bends or corrugations. A suitable motor indicated at 4 furnishes the power which acts through an arrangement of rollers or pulleys and moves the strips and the cord. .The strip comes from a reel 5 and the strip 2 is drawn from a similar reel 8 and runs over a roller 1 which applies adhesive to one. side thereof. The cord or wire may come from a box 8 and is engaged by springs or spring pressed members 9 which bear upon the cord and tend to hold it back. As indicated in Figure 1 the strip is the lower strip and the underface of the other strip 2 passes over the roller 1; the cord or wire moving between the strips. Owing to the backward tension on the cord or wire 3, the two strips are gathered up in the folds I0 as stated above. In the final stage of the operation the double strip is twisted to form spiral sections or bunched portions H, the edges of which present a scalloped or wavy appearance |2 due to the corrugations, bends or folds l0. member, the diameter or thickness of which will be approximately equal to the width of the strips and 2 or whichever of these is wider.

The decorative material can thus be made of various thicknesses and various colors. If Cellophane is used the result is a length of rope which glistens and is very ornamental and pleasing to behold.

The motor 4 is mounted in a frame l3 having arms or brackets H with bearings for the reels 5 and 6 which have shafts or trunnions IE to engage the bearings. The reel 8 may also be supported by the frame l3 or elsewhere. The motor 4 operates a belt H; which runson a pulley carried by the motor shaft l8 and up over a larger pulley IS on a shaft turning in bearings on the frame l3. At the top of the frame is a press roll 2| on a shaft 22 connected by gearing 22a to the shaft 20. .Above this press roll 2| is another press roll 23 having a shaft or trunnions 24 which turn in bearings in upright projections 25 at the top of the frame l3. The strips and 2 and cord or wire 3 run between the rolls 2| and 23. The upper roll 23 is forced downward by a spring 26 engaging shoes 21 pressing on the trunnions 24 and screws 28 in projections 29 force the springs downward. By turning the screws 28 the springs 26 are compressed enough to make the rolls 2| and 23 force the strips I and 2 into efllcient adhesion with each other.

After passing between the rolls 2| and 23 the strips and cord pass under roll 38 resting with sufficient pressure on a feed roll 3|. These rolls are forced together by springs 25 and other parts,

the same as the rolls 2| and 23. These two rolls 38 and 3| are mounted in the path of the strips and cord coming. from the rolls 2| and 23. The roll 3 I has a pulley 32 connected by a belt 33 with a pulley 34 driven by the shaft 22 so that the motor 4 will also turn the two rolls 38 and 3|, thus drawing the strips and cord or wire through them. Beyond the rolls and 3| the two strips are twisted by hand. or automatically'to form the spirals I. At 35 and at 3B are idlers mounted on frame l3 or otherwise to guide the strips and 2 from the reels 5 and 6 to the rolls 2| and 23.

The adhesive is in a box 31 from which it is taken up by the roller 1. Between the roll 2| and the roll 3|! I may fix a nozzle 38 through which a draught of air can be directed upon strips The final product will be a rope-like and 2 to make the adhesive between them dry more quickly.

With this apparatus the two strips are made to stick together with the cord or wire between them as they pass between the rolls 2| and 23. The drag or pull of the members 9 on the cord or wire 3 creates the transverse bends or folds I0, which appear as soon as the strips have passed the rollers 30 and 3|. The double strip is twisted as it'cornes from the last named rolls and the spiral or bunched portions make it resemble a rope or cable which can be used in long lengths to make festoons or garlands or in short lengths to make wreaths. Of course a single strip may be employed instead of two, with the cord 3.

' The transverse bends or folds are formed because withthe core 3 under tension, the rollers are operated at such speed as to push the strips forward; and the length of the Cellophane strips actually used will be several times the length of the core 3. although the strips and 2 are shortened by transverse plaiting to correspond with the length of the core 3.

Besides garlands and wreaths a short length of the finished product can be utilized to make an ornamental object by being attached to a stem or support in upright position, with suitable trimmings, particularly if wire instead of a cord is used.

Also by using a single strip and periodically removing the tension from the cord or wire either by hand or automatically the strip coming from the apparatus can be so worked that portions 2a with folds l0 alternate with portions 2b having no folds or perfectly flat, see Figure 5. By cutting the product into lengths each consisting of one flat portion and one corrugated portion such portions can be twisted to resemble artificial flowers or buds and used for decorative purposes on hats and other articles of clothing, the portion 2a representing the bud or flower and 2b the adjacent part or stem, and some of the material is I bunched at the center 20. Also if the strips are provided with fringed edges the resultant rope can be out up into lengths suitable for neck pieces and trimmings for clothing.

To twist the material I may employ a twister consisting of a cylindrical sleeve 40 having a spiral rib for 4| inside. This sleeve is mounted in a fixed ring support 42 in line with the material coming from the rolls 3|! and 3|. The support has ball bearings 43 so that the sleeve 4|] can turn freely and gears between the sleeve 48 and the feed roll 3| cause the sleeve 40 to revolve. Said gears include a bevel gear 44 turned by roller 3|: a bevel gear 45 engaged by the first bevel, a shaft 46 in a bearing 41 on the support 42 carrying the second bevel; and a pinion 48 on said shaft meshing with teeth 49 on sleeve 40. The turning of the sleeve as material strip passes through it, by the action of the rib 4| twists the material into the spiral shape to provide the bunched portions or spiral sections above mentioned. The rib 4| may be formed of bunches of bristles set in a spiral row within the sleeve 4|].

The product which is the result of this invention can thus be easily and cheaply made by the apparatus and method above described and formed into a variety of ornamental designs and objects.

The cord or wire 3 may make contact with the roller 1 in passing and may be drawn either through the glue box 31 and under the roller or over it as desired.

- The twister 4| turns the plaited strips and 2 produce an unbalanced torsion which tends to unwind or untwist the strip or to form kinks therein. To eliminate this objection the twister a shown in Figure 8 is utilized to revolve the plaited strip first in one direction and then in the other. Thus successive portions, each several inches in length, are oppositely twisted and the torsion of one portion is balanced by the torsion of the next'so that no force arises tending to .untwist the strip. The member a has no spiral rib inside and the gearing "-48 inclusive is dispensed with. At the exit end of the member a the rim thereof is provided with radial teeth or projections 50. The receiving end has a number of L-shaped fingers II the ends of which extend toward the axis of revolution and as the member a. turns the fingers 5| will strike the opposite edges and twist the strip. These fingers may be stiff spiral springs.

Across the discharge end extends a shaft 52 bearing a pulley 53 driven by a belt 54 extending to a similar pulley 53 on the shaft of the roller .30. This shaft 52 carries a pair of semi-circular gears 55 set apart and arranged to engageautomatically with the teeth 50 on the element a. Thus one gear 55 will mesh with the teeth 56 at one time to turn the member a a half revolution in one direction and the other gear 55 will engage the teeth 50 an instant later to turn the member. a in the other direction. Hence for half a revolution the fingers 5| will be twisting the strip from right to left and several inches may pass through the member Ma in this interval. Then the member Ma is turned from left to right and the next few inches oil the strip is twisted in the opposite direction. Meanwhile the rotation of the shaft 52 causes a pair of vanes 56 on the shaft to draw the twisted strip forward and outward. The vanes 56 may both be recessed in the middle. The member Ma will of course be large enough to avoid any crowding of the strip at the discharge end as it passes over the shaft 52 and is drawn forth by the vanes 56. This shaft will 'be mounted in bearings carried by suitable arms like the arm 42 at the side of the frame i3.

In Figure 10 the cord or wire 3 is illustrated as coming from a reel 51 associated with a bandbrake to tension the cord. Rigid with the reel is a grooved disk 58 over which is passed a cord 59 connected to a spring 60, anchored to a fixed point. At the other end of the brake cord is a pendent weight 6|. By varying the weight, the action of the brake can be regulated.

The twister is omitted when only a transversely plaited strip to be used as a. festoon or garland is desired. While I have mentioned Cellophane, the invention is not limited to this material'but can be practiced equally well with paper and the like which can be run through the machine and twisted or made fiat without twisting when that form is needed.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and Wish to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. Apparatus of the kind set forth comprising a reel for material in strip form, a cord holder, a tension device to engage the cord as'it leaves the holder, means for supplying adhesive between the cord and strip to enable the cord to stick to said material, presser rollers for the cord and strip, feed rolls to draw the cord and strip between the presser rolls, means for actuating the feed rolls, and a hollow member beyond said presser rollers with a spiral rib to receive and twist the strip.

2. Apparatus oi the kind described comprising reels for carrying strips, means for spreading an adhesive on one of said strips, means for. supplying an element under tension, rolls engaging the strips to guide same toward said element in position to receive the element between them, presser rolls to cause said element and said strips to adhere together, feed rollsfor said strips and said;

element, and a twister to turn the strips 3. Apparatus of the kind described comprising means for forming bends extending crosswise of a strip, a rotatable twister having fingers at one end to engage the opposite edges of the strip and turn the latter, gearing on the opposite end of said twister, a pair of semi-circular gears in opposed positions to engage successively with said twister and means for operating said gears to change the direction of said twister and twist the strip in opposite directions.

4. Apparatus of the kind described comprising parts for adhesively securing together a pair of strips with a thin core between them and parts for gathering the strips into transverse bends along said core.

5. Apparatus of the kind described comprising parts for securing a pair of strips together with an attenuated core between them, parts for gathering said strips into transverse bends along said core and means for twisting said strips.

6. Apparatus of the kind described comprising parts for securing a pair'of strips together with an attenuated core between them, parts for gathering said strips into transverse bends along said coreand means for twisting said strips alternately in opposite directions.

7. Apparatus of the kind described comprising guiding means and feeding means for disposing an elongated member against strip material, means to operate said feeding means so as to feed the member continuously forward and the strip forward at a faster rate so as to gather the strip into transverse bends along its length.

8. An apparatus of the kind described comprising guiding means and feeding means for disposing an elongated member in contact with the surface of strip material, means for operating thefeeding means to feed said material and member forward, and means for retarding said member relative to the strip, so as to gather the strip into transverse bends along its length.

9. Apparatus of the kind described comprising guiding and feeding means for disposing an elongated member against strip material, means to operate said feeding means so as to feed the member forward and the strip forward at a faster rate, so as to gather the strip into transverse bends along its length, 'and means for twisting the pleated strip about said member into a spiral, the turns of which have scalloped edges.

10. Apparatus of the kind described comprising guiding and feeding means for disposing an elongated member against strip material, means to operate said feeding means so as to feed said member continuously forward and the strip forward at a. faster rate, so as to gather the strip into transverse bends along its length, means for twisting the strip into a spiral around said member, and means for reversing the twisting means,

means for operating the feeding means to feed said strip and member forward, means for retarding said member so as to gather the strip into transverse bends along its length, and means for twisting the strip-around said member into a spiral, the turns of which have scalloped edges.

' 12. Apparatus of the kind described comprising guiding and feeding means for disposing an elongated member in contact with one face only of a strip of sheet material, means for operating twisting the strip around said member into a 7 spiral, the turns of which have scalloped edges, and means for reversing the twisting means so that the turns of the spiral extend in opposite directions.

13. Apparatus of the kind described comprising means for laying an elongated member against strip material and for actuating said member and said strip so as to gather and shorten the strip, means for twisting said strip into a spiral about said member and means for reversing the twisting means so that the turns of the spiral extend in opposite directions.

- ISAAC J. WISOFF. 

